MATAWAN – A still-sluggish economy and lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy have added to the typical burden of being a small business owner.

But more than three dozen local businesses and non-profit organizations took advantage of an opportunity to introduce their services and products to hundreds of potential clients Tuesday night at the Matawan-Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce’s 12th Annual Business Expo in The Reception Center at Saint Clement.

Cathy Zavorskas, the chamber’s president, said the importance of a strong relationship between the businesses and residents of a community was evident in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy when most of the area was without power for several days.

Every year, Zavorskas said, the business expo helps to break the ice between the two parties.

“The goal is really to build a stronger bond between the businesses and the people in the community,” she said. “Because the businesses obviously need customers, but people also really need to know what services they have access to in their community. It’s a convenience to them, but it also supports the businesses and keeps the community vibrant commercially and economically strong.”

This year, with so many businesses still reeling from the down economy and Hurricane Sandy, Zacorskas said many of the chamber’s more than 120 members opted to team up with other businesses for the entry fee for the expo.

“We don’t mind that at all,” she said. “Because our goal is to help them better connect with the community and this expo has always been a terrific way to do that.”

But as always, many of the vendors that participated Tuesday night, such as American Placemats, have been part of the expo for years.

“This event is phenomenal, because there are always a lot of vendors here and there is always a strong turnout from the public,” said Errol Ernstrom, owner of the Denville-based American Placemats, which sells the advertising for the placemats found in diners and restaurants throughout most of New Jersey.

Ernstrom said he noticed the vendor turnout was a little lighter than in past years, but that the amount of community members who showed up was noticeably higher.

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“We’ve been here for 45 minutes and I already have three strong leads,” Ernstrom said.

Paula Agneta Holt, a vice president for the chamber, said this year’s crop of participating vendors featured the largest number of newcomers in recent years.

"It shows that a lot more businesses are actively looking for ways to promote their businesses these days," said Agneta Holt, owner of Tiffani's Vintage Closet in Matawan.

One of those newcomers was Barbara Sollecito, owner of Sollecito Chiropractic in Matawan.

“I actually came to the event as a member of the public last year and liked the atmosphere so much, because of the big turnout and the laid-back way you get to showcase your business, that I wanted to participate in it with my business this year,” Sollecito said.

Even though Sollecito’s office is on Main Street, it is in the back of a building and not easily visible to passersby.

Sollecito said the expo allowed her to introduce her business to hundreds of people and immediately answer their questions.

“People are asking a lot of questions like if I accept insurance and if they need prescriptions. And then there is all-important question, ‘Where are you located,’” Sollecito said. “These are people I may never have had an opportunity to talk to if it weren’t for this event.”